Central Georgia corridor study... keeping business moving in Georgia [Vol. 1, no. 2 (Mar. 2002)]

Georgia Department of Transportation

Central Georgia Corridor Study
HPC6 and US 280

No. 2 Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334-1002
Robert Hughes Phone: 404-657-6699
Fax: 404-657-5228 Email:
robert.hughes@dot.state.ga.us
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Economic Tidbits of the Central Georgia Corridor

The Phase I study brought out the following bits of interesting information regarding the Central Georgia Corridor:
The 1998 unemployment rate was 6.18% -- higher than the national and state of Georgia averages. Economic forecasts underscore the need for positive actions - including transportation and communication investments - to encourage job retention and growth. Among the various classes of manufacturing, the highest employment is in food, textiles, paper, lumber and transportation equipment. The 2025 economy will continue to be anchored by services, government and retail trade, but there will continue to be a diverse range of freight-generating industries as well. Freight-dependent industries that are expected to grow include agricultural/forest/fisheries, services

and construction. Most freight-dependent industries are actually forecast to lose employment. Food, transportation equipment, lumber, paper and textiles will continue to lead in terms of job creation. Manufacturing employment in the study area is forecast to decline by 10,355 jobs by 2025 in the areas of apparel, textiles, electrical equipment, tobacco and paper. Projected higher output reflects increasing productivity per employee. Certain industries in apparent decline based on the employment data will actually increase their output substantially. The corridor's diversified manufacturing sectors will actually increase their need for, and dependence on, transportation and communications infrastructure within the study area.

...keeping business moving in Georgia

Freight Receivers, Shippers
and Carriers are Heard
Encouraging business to locate within the Central Georgia Corridor study area is vital to its economic health. The freight movers view transportation system improvements to the U.S. 280 Corridor and High Priority Corridor Six (HPC6) as one of the key components to maintaining the competitiveness of Central Georgia. The "major users" of the system (shippers, receivers and carriers) were interviewed and expressed appreciation for the ongoing effort to upgrade many rural roads. They appreciated the responsiveness of the Georgia DOT and the positive action by Chambers of Commerce to actively attract new business to the area.
Seventy-six interviews were conducted to fully understand business location decisions, freight operations in the study area and to guide the study team in identifying the daily problems encountered by users of the Corridor.
Twenty-six intersections were noted for improvement, the I-16/I-75 interchange in Macon was mentioned most frequently.
Congestion was cited along U.S. 280 in the Port of Savannah, and along U.S. 80/SR 96 Dublin to Columbus. Eleven roads were cited as "problematic", with U.S. 80/SR 96 being mentioned marginally more frequently than U.S. 280. Bridges mentioned as needing replacement or rehabilitation included U.S. 441 north of U.S. 280 at McRae, SR 153 between Preston and Friendship, SR 19 north of Glenwood, SR 27 near Sanford, U.S. 280 east of Dumas, and U.S. 280 identified only as "in Wilcox County". Four-lane improvements of the rural highway network were mentioned by many of the major users. Improvements along U.S. 280 were noted, including widening to four lanes. Bypasses were among the needs cited including bypassing the I-16/I-75 interchange at Macon on SR 96.

March 2002 Volume 1, Issue 2

In this issue:

Major Users Heard

1

Accessibility & Viability 2

Economics & Performance 3

Corridor Tidbits

4

Transportation Accessibility and Economic Viability

Matching the Region's Economics with the Transportation System's Performance

Transportation infrastructure influences, but is not wholly responsible for, economic growth. Understanding

the role transportation, social and economic factors play in

economic development is a critical component to the

Central Georgia Corridor Study.

The Georgia Rural Development Council (GRDC)

recommends that infrastructure investment strategies be

based on the economic status or condition of each county in

Georgia. To maximize the economic benefits, key

infrastructure investment would be focused in areas with

emerging

or

growing

economies, with a strong

emphasis on areas with

transportation infrastructure

needs. In areas with lagging or

declining economies, GRDC

recommends better connection

to "regional growth engines",

cities such as Columbus,

Warner Robins, Macon and

Savannah, along with

concentrating on other

socioeconomic

strategies.

Matching

transportation

accessibility and economic

status provides the study team a

way to focus transportation

infrastructure investment where

it is needed the most.

A simplified explanation of the conclusions in the Central Georgia Corridor Study can best be demonstrated
by understanding the following: EVI is the Economic Vitality Index developed by the GRDC. A county can be one of the following - a growing, emerging, declining or lagging growth area. TAI is the Transportation Accessibility Index, determined by transportation facilities in a county roads, airports, freight terminals and rail - and can be classified as Excellent, Good, Average, Low and Poor.
When these two are measured and brought together, decisions about transportation investment can be considered in a new light. A county with a good (growing or emerging) economy and poor transportation access would be an excellent candidate for transportation improvements. Conversely, a county with a poor economy and high access may not need additional investments in transportation but may rather focus on other economic or social issues constraining growth and development. The maps included in this article highlight the study team findings. This information will be used throughout the study to assist in identifying transportation needs that fit best with the GRDC recommendations.

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To fully understand the region's transportation

system now and in the future, it is important to understand

the Central Georgia Corridor region's economics. The

demographic and economic vitality data available on the

corridor suggests that economic development is needed.

With isolated exceptions, the forty-five counties within the

corridor lag well behind the performance of the northern

half of the state on the economic forefront.

The economic data presented in the Phase 1 Report

has a critical relationship with freight movement data in

the HPC6 and U.S. 280 corridors. Regional economics

and transportation infrastructure influence how freight

flows through the study area. Economic forecasts are used

to generate estimates of how future commodities will be

transported over the transportation system. Using this

information, transportation system deficiency - such as too

few lanes, unsafe intersections - are

easily identified. Through this

process potential transportation

system deficiencies can be

identified and solutions can be

encouraged as a matter of policy.

Phase 1 of the study

integrated a detailed assessment of

regional economics, freight flows

and transportation system

performance to understand the

economic and transportation system

interrelationships and also potential

system deficiencies. As highlighted

in the accompanying map, a simple

"corridor" type of movement from

one point to another does not

dominate freight movement in the

study area. Rather it is a complex

set of flows with distinctly different

purposes.

Secondary traffic

principally associated with

warehousing and distribution of a

variety of commodity types is the

predominant freight traffic in the

study area. Other categories show highly diversified types of commodity movements.
Findings of the transportation system performance evaluation in the Phase 1 Report are based on objective performance measures for congestion, safety, and accessibility. Existing congestion problems are almost exclusively within metropolitan counties, with concentrations in cities and towns and at select rural intersections. Road segments with accident rates that are well above the statewide average exist throughout the study area. Trucks handled approximately 75 percent of the tonnage, rail moved 24 percent and air cargo accounted for approximately one percent. This information will help guide the study team in defining potential system deficiencies and addressing transportation needs throughout the study area.
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